


The Demon's Assassin

by megroze



Category: DC Extended Universe, DCU, DCU (Comics), Justice League - All Media Types, Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Damian Wayne is Bad at Feelings, Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne are Siblings, F/M, Falling In Love, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:47:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22461367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megroze/pseuds/megroze
Summary: A tale of love, hate, and a lot of demons.Raven is injured in battle.  Damian is hellbent on getting revenge on the person who hurt her.  How far is he willing to go for his.... teammate? Or is she more than that to him?
Relationships: Batfamily Members & Justice League (DCU), Raven/Damian Wayne
Comments: 19
Kudos: 120





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Damian Wayne was in his room when he felt something was off. Titans Tower was uncharacteristically still, and although Damian couldn't say he didn't like the peace and quiet, he felt uneasy. Always prepared for battle, Damian grabbed his katana on his bedside table and walked out of his room.

All the lights in the hallway were off. Damian decided to knock on Raven's door as it was next to him to see if anyone was around. After no answer, Damian proceeded to the main living area. There was nothing but darkness, and no sign of his teammates. Damian could feel his adrenaline pumping, as he focused on every detail around him. This is what he lived for. The looming threat of danger and a fight. It's what he was raised on. Damian rounded the corner and was immediately met by a loud popping sound and lights. This was it. He gripped his katana tighter, prepared to defend himself.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAMIAN," his teammates yelled. Damian was so alarmed he swung his katana and narrowly missed Gar's eye.

"Jesus Christ, dude! Do you have to carry that around in the house all the time?" Gar yelled, while Damian lowered his weapon.

"Sorry for scaring you Damian, but we thought you would enjoy the party of surprise," Kori said. As the leader of the Titans, Kori was always trying to find ways to tighten the bond between the Titans. Something Damian always chose to pass on.

Damian was annoyed with his teammates enthusiasm. They're a super powered elite crime- fighting team, not a summer camp.

"None of us have time for a party. Deathstroke is loose, and we should be out looking for him. I don't want a party, I want to be out on patrol. You all should too," Damian said.

He understood that Starfire and the Titans were trying to be nice, but Damian Wayne is not one for celebration. When he was younger, his mother and grandfather would celebrate his birthday by having him spar with one League of Assasin warrior per year he was alive. That was the kind of festivities he was comfortable with.

"Look man, if you don't want the party that's fine. But don't be such a dick. Kori worked hard on this," Jaime said staring Damian in the eye.

"And I'm telling you I don't care. I'll be out on patrol, don't wait up," said Damian.

With that, Damian headed back off to his room to suit up. He couldn't help but feel a little bad by his sharp attitude towards his teammates. A few years ago he wouldn't have cared at all. But as the years passed, Damian had found himself thinking of his teammates as more than just liabilities. He trusts them. Even more than that, he cares about them; even if he would never say that out loud. 

As Damian was putting on his mask, he heard a knock on the door. He opened the door and saw Raven with her usual deadpan expression. Damian felt uneasy with her around. Raven was an empath and could feel all emotions around her as if they were her own. Damian hated it because his whole life he was taught to shield his emotions. He felt out of control with Raven and he didn't like it. But, over the last few years, he found he could trust Raven. She never impeded his comfort zone and never confronted him about his emotions. Even when they were very, very dark. 

"I'll apologize to Koriand'r later Raven," Damian said, already expecting a lecture.

"That's not why I'm here. I just wanted to say... happy birthday. I had a feeling you would not appreciate the festivities but I for one am happy you were born"

Damian met eyes with Raven. Her amethyst eyes contrasting against her gray skin. Damian hated compliments, but this one was genuine. He felt his face turn red. Before he could respond, the the tower alarm system went off, signaling the Titans that there was trouble in the city. Raven and Robin met eyes, and ran towards the rest of the team.

The Titans arrived at the scene of an abandoned warehouse. No one seemed to be around.

"Kori, are we at the right place? There's no one hear," Gar said, still in his human form as he saw no threat.

"Yes, this is the place. Except reports said it was Clayface. He is usually a bit more... messy" Starfire said.

"Scarab just checked for any infrared heat signatures. No one is in there," said Blue Beetle.

"It might be a false alarm, but let's check anyways." Robin said with a breath of arrogant leadership that the team had become accustomed to.

The Titans entered the warehouse focused and prepared for anything, as usual. Raven felt uneasy, but she was not sure if it was her own intuition of if she was just picking up on the emotions of her fellow teammates. The Titans looked around but no threat seemed to be present.

"Looks like it was a false alarm let's go h-," Raven started but was met with a sharp pain in her back. She felt herself stagger forward and then fall.

"RAVEN!" Starfire yelled in shock. The team turned around and saw Deathstroke above Raven. His sword bloody. A twisted smile on his face.

"Invisibility suit. Pretty handy. Covers body heat too," Deathstroke said towards Blue Beetle.

The Titans burst into action, Robin reaching Deathstroke first. His strikes were calculated, but so were Deathstroke's defenses. Deathstroke landed a well aimed punch to Robin's face making him stammer backwards. Deathstroke made quick work of the Titans, knocking Beast Boy across the room, and slamming Starfire into Blue Beetle so hard they both saw stars. Before the Titans could regroup, Deathstroke re-cloaked himself in invisibility.

"Still playing dress up I see, give Nightwing my regards," Deathstroke said before disappearing into darkness once again.

The whole fight lasted for less than three minutes, but the time Robin reached Raven, her blood had pooled all around her small frame. Robin was trying to stay calm, but he felt himself losing his composure. He has seen so much death and injury in his 17 years, but something about seeing Raven like this made him feel so helpless and angry. He felt a familiar feeling of desperate revenge. A feeling he hadn't felt in a long time. He wanted to kill Deathstroke.

"We need to get Raven back to the tower. She needs to be in her room to heal." Starfire said, as Robin scooped Raven up in his arms and the Titans fled. Robin held Raven in his arms as Starfire drove as fast as she could. The Titans drove one of Batman's old batmobiles, but even it felt too slow for Damian. Before he could yell at Starfire to drive faster, he noticed Raven's eyes open.

"We're almost home, Raven. Try to stay awake," Robin said, focusing on steadying his voice, his hand gently placed on the side of her head. But as fast as she opened her eyes, she closed them again.

"Fuck," Blue Beetle said panicked across the way from Robin and Raven.

"What?!" Robin said in a frantically.

"Scarab...isn't picking up a heart beat.


	2. Chapter 2

After what felt like an eternity, the Titans reached the tower. Everyone jumped out and ran towards Raven's room. Raven's room was a mystical sanctuary. She had all her spellbooks, dimensional items and meditative artifacts there. This was where she was able to heal most effectively from any injuries. This being the worst she had ever sustained. Damian carefully placed Raven on her bed and stepped back.

"What do we do? Nothings happening?" Gar said, his voice shaking in panic.

"Try to stay calm Titans, she picks up on our emotions and we can't distract her," Kori said.

"Everyone out," Damian said in a low growl.

"What? You don't make the shots you're not the leader of this team," Kori rebutted.

"That doesn't matter. You all are incapable of controlling your emotions. I've been trained to keep myself calm. I'll stay with her. Leave." Damian said.

Although the Titans were usually annoyed with Damian's arrogance, he was right. Kori is a Tamaranian. Emotion and honestly is what her planet is known for. Gar and Jaime are regular teenagers. They weren't trained to be emotionless as they sat staring at their trusted teammate injured and near death. Damian was right and the Titans knew it.

After the Titans left, Damian kneeled down by Raven. He grabbed her wrist and checked her pulse. Her heartbeat was extremely slow and irregular. Her breathing was sharp and sounded painful. 

"It's not going to be easy Raven, but you need to fight. You're a Titan. You can do this." said Damian intensely. 

Damian felt panic build up as Raven's breathing got even more shaky. She was dying, and he couldn't do anything about it. He felt his adrenaline pulse and his stomach in knots. Time started to slow, and Damian never felt so out of control. He was a trained warrior, grandson of Ra's Al Ghul, and son of Batman. How could he be so helpless?

"Damn it Raven, heal!" Damian said, almost yelling.

Instantly, Raven began glowing. Her aura lifting her body up off the bed. Damian stood up and stared at Raven. Relief flooded his whole body as he sat down and took a deep breath. This was the beginning of Raven's healing process. Her injuries were bad, so Damian knew it would take at least a day for her to heal fully. He decided to leave Raven alone so she could focus.

As Damian joined the other Titans in the common room, he noticed Dick sitting next to Kori with his arm around her shoulders. When he saw Damian he stood up.

"How is she?" Dick asked.

"Her healing process has started. I believe she will live." Damian said.

"Deathstroke that son of a bitch. He never stops." Dick said, sitting down next to Kori defeated.

Dick had a long history with Deathstroke. Starting with the death of Jericho, a Titan member and Deathstroke's son. Deathstroke vowed to get revenge on Dick and goes after the Titans whenever possible. Not to mention, Deathstroke's history with the Bat family. Which was _very_ close to home for Dick, and even Damian. 

"We need to go after him now. Get him when we know he's near. Make him pay. Not just for this. For everything." Damian said, his eyes intense and his voice sharp. He wanted to make Deathstroke bleed. With that, Dick walked towards Damian and put his arm around him. He led him far enough so the Titan's couldn't hear their conversation.

"You sound like you want to do a little more than take him into custody, Damian." Dick said, staring him in the eye. Dick was like Damian's older brother. He could always tell when Damian threatened to fall back to his old ways.

"You don't understand how bad he hurt her. She almost died, Dick. And I _don't_ accept that as forgivable. I trust you haven't forgotten the last time Deathstroke took a life." Damian replied.

Damian met eyes with Dick, both remembering a chilling memory.

"Trust me, I will never forget. I understand how you feel. I've lost my fair share of teammates, but you can't let that affect your objectivity. Remember justice not veng-"

"Damn it. You know, that's starting to get really annoying to hear. I'll be fine, Grayson." Damian interrupted.

"I'm just saying don't make me take you off this case. You're a valuable member and we could use your skills." Dick said, before walking back towards the group.

Damian was annoyed with the conversation. How dare Grayson imply that he seemed distracted. Damian is a trained assassin. Distraction isn't in his vocabulary. Damian stammered back into his room, changed into a fresh uniform, and plopped down on his bed. He rolled over, and heard something crinkle underneath him. He sat up and saw a piece of paper which was a note that read,

"I'm at the place where it all started. Probably a trap, but that's part of the fun. See you soon, kid."

Damian crumbled up the piece of paper in his hand. Deathstroke was making this too easy for him. He didn't care that Deathstroke was luring him out by himself. He could take him. His anger bubbled over as he remembered Raven's blood all over his hands. He grabbed his grappling hook and lept from the window, careful to not make too much noise and alert the Titans. Deathstroke was his, and he intended to end this once and for all.


	3. Chapter 3

Gotham was cold tonight. Nothing new. Gotham is almost always cold. But, Damian felt a different kind of chill running through his body. Unadulterated anger. It hadn't taken him long to get to Gotham. His father had hidden jets at safe houses all over the country. Damian learned the location of all of them after he hacked the Bat Computer the first week he lived with Bruce. After landing in Gotham, Damian headed to where it all began.

Five years ago, Damian was patrolling with Batman as usual. The night was quiet and no one seemed to be outside. Damian was annoyed with the lack of action and wanted to find somewhere where his talents could be utilized. Damian was mid complaint when Batman got a red alert. Uncharacteristically panicked, leaping to his feet. Red alerts meant someone in the family was in trouble.

"Batman, it's Spoiler. I'm out unnumbered. Drones. It's Deathstro-" Stephanie cut out of the call.

"Damn it. Alfred come in. Location of Spoiler. Now." Batman said urgently. Damian had seen his Father stare down the Joker, take blows from Bane, but never had he seen him so... scared. Damian understood his panic, though. Although he had never faced Deathstroke, he heard stories from Dick. Stories of death and destruction. He soon shared his father's panic to get to Stephanie. 

He hadn't been with the family long, but Stephanie had already become a friend to him. She had taken him under her wing. Whenever Tim or Dick would tease Damian for being so... Damian-ish, she would step in. Not only was she kind, she was also fierce warrior. Someone Damian had respected. But, if Stephanie was outnumbered and against Deathstroke, she couldn't hold out for long. After getting the location from Alfred, son and father leapt from the building prepared to defend their own.

Stephanie's location pointed to her being in a church. The building was tall and it was dark. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Robin, stay with me. Don't get separated." Batman said.

Damian listened, following close behind Batman. Inside of the Church was pure chaos, debris and wood everywhere. It was obvious a fight had erupted. 

Suddenly, gunshots cracked towards the duo. Batman and Robin leapt out of the way, taking cover behind debris. Damian took in his surroundings. Stephanie said there were drones so that's probably what shot at them. He rolled away from the debris, landing two well aimed batarangs at two drones. This stopped the shooting long enough for Batman to incapacitate the remaining three. The two ran towards the main part of the church where they saw Stephanie tied up and obviously badly wounded. She was half unconscious and blood was everywhere.

"Batman, nice to see you. Look who I found wandering around. You need to take better care of your kids." Deathstroke spat, his words icy. He kicked Stephanie, leading Batman and Robin to charge at him.

"Not so fast," Deathstroke said, pulling out a gun and aiming it at Stephanie's head. Damian met eyes with her. She was fierce, but just for a split second, Damian could see a glimpse of fear in her eyes. Damian clenched his fists, looking for an opening to get to her.

"This isn't your style. You're a hired assassin. What do you want with her?" Batman said hoarsely.

"You're a popular person not just around here. Tales of the elusive Batman travel far and wide. Always winning, never wrong, and only one weakness. Your family. Powerful people are willing to pay to see you suffer. You see Batman, I am on a job and this is me executing it."

Batman knew where this was going, he grabbed a batarang as he leapt over debris just as a gunshot rang throughout the church. Batman fell to his knees. Letting out a grunt of agony Damian never heard any human make. Stephanie was killed in front of their eyes. Damian didn't have time to freeze. He ran towards the killer who was already making his escape. Using his grappling hook, he shot through Deathstroke's shoulder bringing him down hard. He wasted no time grabbing his katana and holding it to Deathstroke's neck, pushing down hard enough that beads of blood formed under the pressure.

"A little more violent than what Batman allows, kid. I like it." Deathstroke choked out, simultaneously kicking Damian off of him with a strong blow.

"You're gonna die for what you did." Damian yelled swinging his katana, just to be blocked by Deathstroke. With one last blow, Deathstroke pinned him down.

"You're skilled. Have a feeling you're not the hero type either. We'll keep in touch kid. It was a pleasure," Deathsroke said as he ignited a smoke bomb and disappeared into the darkness. 

Damian knew it would be ineffective to chase after him. His father needed him now. Damian walked towards Batman who was holding Stephanie. She was lifeless, but Batman still held her so carefully as if he was afraid she would break. 

Damian remembered back to when he first met her. Her power and confidence flooded the room. She was so alive, and now her life was ripped away. Damian hesitated as he put a hand on his father's shoulder. Silent in their mourning as they grieved their fallen comrade.

Damian never forgot that night. The death in the family mixed with the enormous sadness he saw in his father changed him. Deathstroke was evil, and after what he did to Raven, Damian was going to stop him for good. He stepped into the church without hesitation, having a feeling Deathstroke would be alone. He was right. Damian tightened his grip on his sword as he prepared to win a battle he should have won five years ago.


	4. Chapter 4

The fight erupted in strong blows and calculated defense. Damian had fought Deathstroke many times over the years, making both of them used to each other's fight patterns. Deathstroke fought with brute strength, his punches able to dehabilitate his opponents immediately while Damian was faster and relied on blows that weakened his opponent over time.

The fight was even. Damian felt himself not holding back, aiming his katana at arteries and veins to kill his opponent. In the back of his head he knew this was wrong, but his anger took over his judgment. He was tired of seeing his teammates being injured and killed by this man. This was for the greater good.

"I'm impressed, you've gotten better over the years." Deathstroke said as Damian's katana narrowly missed impaling through the villain's neck. "Here I thought you were going soft."

"You talk too much," Damian replied hellaciously, landing a blow to Deathstroke's stomach, slicing through his armor. Deathstroke took a few steps back as Damian kicked his sword out of his hand and kicked his feet out from under him. This was it, Damian could deliver the final blow. His adrenaline was pumping and his head was full of range. He was so close to finally ending Deathstroke forever. He raised his katana above his head aiming for Deathstoke's heart. Before he could land it, he heard a gunshot and a sharp pain in the side of his stomach. Deathstroke was too quick and had a hidden gun his boot.

Damian knew he was injured badly. Although his suit is bulletproof, the shot was at close range, easily penetrating through his armor. Damian realized he made an error. He was distracted and didn't notice the gun. _He was distracted_. Something he never thought he could be. Damian fell back on the cold concrete holding his wound. His was losing a lot of blood and his vision began going in and out. He was able to see a figure approach him. Deathstroke raised his gun once again for a killing shot.

"I always forget how arrogant you batkids are, thinking you can beat me. I still remember the satisfaction of seeing Spoiler's brain exploding. She was _especially_ arrogant."

Damian let out a low growl at Deathstroke's mention of Stephanie. He wanted to destroy him for what he did to her, but he was too weak to fight. Damian's instincts took over, as he rolled over onto his stomach, holding his wound. He pushed himself up, ready to find cover, but he had already lost too much blood. 

"Batman seems to have a special place in his heart for you. I'm about to make a lot of money from your death, kid."

He hadn't really thought of death before. He was always skilled enough to avoid it. Damian opened his eyes once more to look at his opponent. Damian was beginning to lose consciousness, as he was preparing to hear a crack of a gun and meet Death. Instead he was met with the sound of glass shattering, and the whoosh of flying metal. He saw blurry images of two men disarming Deathstroke but Deathstroke was fighting back. Finally, Damian couldn't keep his eyes open anymore and he faded out of consciousness.

Damian awoke due to the sound of beeping machines. He looked to his right where he saw Dick slumped in a seat next to his bed, asleep. Damian was able to piece together that he was back at Titans Tower. It must have been Nightwing and Batman who saved him. Damian sat up, making the bed creak, waking Dick up. Dick looked at him, relief flooding his face but just as quickly his relief turned to anger.

"What the _fuck_ were you thinking?" Dick said gripping the armchair as if he was trying to stop himself from punching Damian in the face. "You directly disobeyed orders and almost died."

"I had to do something, Grayson. None of you ever do anything. I needed to end it."

"How did that work out for you? You should have talked to me. You're so lucky Kori went to your room to check on you and found that note. Otherwise Bruce and I wouldn't have even known you were in trouble" Dick replied, his voice raising.

"Great. Now Father is involved," Damian replied crossing his arms.

"I don't know what to do with you Damian. Bruce thought it would be helpful for you to be around a team, to learn about working with other people. But then you go out and do this." Dick replied sighing. Damian felt a tinge of guilt for worrying Grayson like this. He understood how bad it could have ended up but he didn't regret going after Deathstroke.

"You were too emotionally involved. You weren't focused, you were sloppy." Dick said.

Damian wanted to defend himself. Yell at Dick for telling him he messed up. But Damian knew he was right. He was going to have to take this lecture.

I need to go back to Gotham to talk to Bruce about what he wants to do. Please don't do anything stupid for a day, okay?" Dick said turning around and walking out of the room.

Damian hated being bedridden, but when he tried to get up, he remembered how bad his injuries were. He needed a few more hours to gain his strength. Then he would figure out what he wanted to do about Deathstroke. He decided to lean back and get some sleep. But a few minutes later, before he drifted off to sleep, he heard a knock on his door and a person entering. At first he thought it was Dick ready to give another lecture. But instead, he was met by a cloaked girl in purple. Her hair dark and cascading down her shoulders. It was Raven.

"You're awake?" Damian asked as the girl took a seat on the corner of his bed.

"Yes. Sometimes I think you all underestimate my power. I am the daughter of the devil you know." She said, a rare shadow of a smile passing through her face before she resumed her normal neutral expression. "Anyways, I came to check on you. I heard you were injured after going on a... mission." Raven hesitated, leading Damian to realize that she knew about his near-death battle with Deathstroke.

"I'm fine. I just need a few hours to rest," Damian replied stubbornly.

"You were shot Damian. You're going to need a bit longer than a few hours to rest. But, the reason I came in was to offer you a more expedient option of healing.

"You're not healing me. That would drain you too much, there's no way you're back to normal yet" Damian said in a matter of fact tone. He was not going to weaken her just because he made a mistake during battle. This was on him. Before he could continue, Raven raised a hand, as if to stop him from talking.

"I appreciate your concern, but I know that. I was going to suggest healing sessions. They wouldn't drain me much, but you would still heal faster than regular." Raven replied. Damian was going to protest that he was fine and didn't need help, but Raven wasn't going to let him win. He knew her better than that. Instead of putting up a fight, he just nodded.

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow morning. Try to sleep," Raven said as she stood up and headed for the door. But, before she left, she hesitated a moment, and turned back to Damian. "Also... I just wanted to say thank you for caring enough to go after the person who hurt me. But remember who you are. You are not a killer, Damian. You are good." And with that, Raven walked out of the room, leaving Damian with his thoughts.


	5. Chapter 5

Raven tossed and turned the whole night, not getting much sleep. The wound she had sustained from Deathstroke had taken a lot of energy out of her, not allowing her to meditate as much as normal; the consequences being intense dreams. Dreams so vividly awful it would drive any human insane. Luckily (or unluckily) for her, she was used to them and she also wasn't quite human.

It had been years since Raven had trapped her father in the gem, but she could still feel him fighting her everyday. Viciously trying to corrupt her thoughts and control her body. No one understood what it felt like; to have the Devil inside of you. So much pressure to stay in control, never knowing if evil thoughts belonged to her or her Father. 

When Raven heard Damian had gone after Deathstroke, she couldn't help but wish for a second he would finish the job. The job that no one wanted to take on. Maybe it was the devil inside of her, or maybe she was tired of seeing her friends die and innocent lives being destroyed. So many lives had been impacted by Deathstroke, and Raven being an empath felt physical pain when she thought about him. He was evil. 

But, she knew it wasn't right. And she also knew that Damian shouldn't sacrifice all the progress he's made over a madman. Damian had been fighting what he'd been taught as a child for years. He had grown so much, whether it be his restraint during a battle, or the way he treated the victims he saved gently and carefully. His heart was pure and noble. Many times, the hearts of heroes are ones of hubris and self-gratification. They want glory. But Damian is different. He _needed_ to help people even if it hurt him. He was more of a hero than anyone Raven had ever met. He just didn't know it yet. 

After awhile, Raven decided to get out of bed, knowing there was no way she was going to get anymore sleep. She headed over to the common room and thought about going to check on Damian since their healing sessions started today. She knew it would be easier on her body to intermediately heal him, but she was a little nervous about spending so much time with him one on one. They had become friends over the years as he learned to trust his teammates, but Raven still felt a bit... blind around him.

Although Raven has over time gotten to understand his heart through his moments of extreme sacrifice and selflessness, Damian still hides his emotions unusually well when they are together one on one. Raven feels empathetically blind around him. She feels the same way around the other members of the Bat-family, too. Dick is kind and funny and caring, but whenever Raven is around him, she has a hard time picking up on his emotions too. It must run in the family. Heroes trained to never be exploited by the enemy, or even by friends. She shivered at the thought of Batman. He must be a steel wall. In fact, she doubted she could pick up on his emotions if her life depended on it. 

Raven decided to make her way to the rooftop to try and meditate for an hour before she checked on Damian. When she arrived, she noticed she wasn't alone.

"Why are you up so early?" Raven asked walking towards Damian. He turned around unsurprised by her company. He obviously knew she was there before she spoke. He was Batman's son after all. It was impossible to sneak up on him.

"I could ask you the same question," Damian retorted, turning around and walking towards Raven. 

Raven looked at him as he approached. Damian was shirtless, only slightly being covered up with wrap around his torso where his wound was. Still, he looked perfect; with his tanned skin and toned body being extremely noticeable no matter how hard Raven tried not to look. He had also grown taller than her these past few years. Significantly so. His black hair had also grown a bit, messily framing his tan face. His eyes were a piercing green shade, intense and sharp. The way he moved was confident and graceful, and Raven couldn't help but be a little self-conscious about how she looked. 

She was feeling especially vulnerable as she was only wearing her pajamas. He seemed to notice her shifting uncomfortably as he looked her up and down, one eyebrow raised as he smirked at her.

"Do you want to start the session? Since we're both awake," Raven said, ignoring his expression. Raven didn't really feel like making small talk. Especially when she was just in her pajamas.

"That will do," Damian replied slowly as he sat down near the edge of the Tower, allowing him to look out towards the view of the city. Raven sat next to him. The view of the city being beautiful.

"This shouldn't hurt, but let me know if any spots are more tender than others." Damian nodded in agreement a little impatiently. This wasn't the first time he had done this.

Raven took a deep breath as her dark energy wrapped around his body. His posture slightly shifting, as she focused her energy on the injuries he sustained during his battle with Deathstroke. His wound was bad, a gun shot through his lower torso. This was definitely going to take time to correct. Raven, could feel her energy drain quickly. She knew she was slightly handicapped due to her injury but she didn't realize she was that weak. She was thinking about ignoring it and pressing on when Damian grabbed her hand, getting her attention.

"You look drained. Let's stop for today." Raven looked up to him, pulling her hand away embarrassed. The session hadn't even lasted 5 minutes.

"Sorry, it must be because I haven't meditated yet. We can give it another try in an ho-"

"Don't apologize. I appreciate you doing this. Even if it is completely unnecessary," Damian interrupted, heat rising to his ears as he made eye contact with Raven. Did he just _kinda_ say thank you? Raven thought she might have heard him wrong. He never kinda thanked anyone. Raven pushed her shock aside as she nodded and began to stand up. Unfortunately for her, she was more drained than she thought. She felt herself get lightheaded as she began to lose her balance.

"Are you okay?" Damian asked, as he grabbed ahold of her shoulders, steadying her.

"Yes, I'm fine. Really. I just need to meditate." Raven felt stupid for her damsel in distress showing, but also felt something flutter in her stomach as she felt his hands on her. They were warm and strong, something she could hold onto. Their bodies were also very close together. She felt a little disappointed when he let go of her. What was wrong with her? She'd never felt this way before.

"Come on, you need to get inside so you can sit down. You look even paler than usual," Damian said seriously, placing his hand gently on the small of her back, guiding her towards the stairs back inside the tower. Raven couldn't help but smile a bit at him. He was being... _sweet_? A word she didn't think anyone had ever used to describe Damian.

When they got in the tower, they were surprised to see the entire team sitting in the common room. Dick was also there, meaning he had gotten back from Gotham. Damian tensed a bit, hoping his Father hadn't decided to drag him home since he went after Deathstroke. 

Raven felt a confused energy in the room as her teammates looked at the pair. Gar whispered something to Jaime who giggled in his response. They were probably making assumptions as to what Raven and Damian were doing together so early. 

"Healing sessions," Raven said quietly, not really making eye contact with anyone and trying to make the awkwardness in the room die down a bit. She was not trying to have any rumors start in the tower. 

"Well you guys have perfect timing," Dick said smiling, "I have someone to introduce to everyone. A new member, actually.

Raven and Damian looked at each other confused, looking to see if the other had any idea what Dick was talking about. They hadn't had a new member since Tara, and that definitely didn't turn out well. 

Dick opened the door to the kitchen, revealing a handsome boy with dark hair and blue eyes, who looked to be about 16. He had a shy smile on his face as he stood next to Dick, greeting the room with a small wave. He was dressed in blue jeans and a plaid shirt. Definitely not from Jump City, Raven thought. He also look very familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"You've got to be _fucking_ kidding me," Damian said raising his voice. Raven didn't know who this boy was, but she was sure of one thing. Damian was not happy.  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! This was a little bit of a different kind of chapter, I'm playing around with focusing on different perspectives (i.e. Raven) instead of only Damian. This is kind of an experiment to see if I, (and you all) like it.
> 
> Also thank you all for being so supportive. This is my first ever story, and it's been kind of nerve-wracking posting chapters to an audience. But you all have been lovely. :)


	6. Chapter 6

"Why is _he_ here?" Damian asked angrily while Dick pulled him into another room, trying to avoid a yelling match in front of the whole team. That wasn't the best way to welcome a new member.

"Damian, come on. Jon is a great kid and a powerhouse we could use on the team."

"You and Father arranged this. You think I can't handle my duties on the team. He's my replacement," Damian replied. He was agitated, pacing around the room. Finally, he planted his feet and stared right into Dick's eyes. "I don't regret going after Deathstroke. I'll admit I should have been more careful, but that was me being a team player. I _protect_ my teammates.

"Dami, this isn't personal," Dick said with a sigh. "He needs team experience and we have room. Besides, I thought you guys were friends?"

"We had a falling out. I don't want to talk about it." Damian replied, his expression becoming steely as he looked down to the floor.

"Well fine, you don't have to talk about it but you _do_ need to be professional. Better yet, try to be friendly. I know that doesn't come easy to you." Dick said with a teasing smile as he reassuringly squeezed his little brother's shoulder.

"Also, for the record, I _am_ proud of you for having your teammates backs. I just want you to be careful. And you know, not murder anyone in the meantime." Damian nodded. Grayson was annoying, but he understood him. He cared for him.

Raven couldn't help but wonder what Damian and Dick were talking about while she sat on the couch in the common room. Jaime and Garfield had left to go play video games in their rooms and Kori had just stepped out to finalize a new training course for the team, leaving Raven and Jon completely alone. She could feel the awkward energy in the room. Literally. She didn't know what to make of Jon. He didn't really look like the son of Superman. Sure he was built and shared the same handsome features, but he lacked the... confidence.

Superman is basically a God. One of the most powerful forces in the universe and here his son is standing in the corner of the living room not knowing what to do with himself. Raven considered leaving to go to her room, but something stopped her. She knew what it was like to join the team. It was definitely intimidating. It's like highschool, but substitute hormonal teenagers for super-powered teen heroes.

"So, what made you want to join the team?" Raven asked, slightly sitting up and looking over to Jon. He looked up, startled. He was obviously not expecting her to talk to him.

"Oh, well my Dad suggested it. He thought it would be a good idea for me to get some training. And he loves Kori and Dick." He hesitated as he started to walk towards Raven, carefully sitting down on the couch next to her. He didn't know if she was inviting him in for a conversation or not. Damn, he needed to work on social skills, he thought.

"I can sense your hesitation. Don't be worried, everyone here is great. Kori is a great friend and Dick is like the overprotective older brother I never wanted." She said, slightly laughing. She could feel Jon relaxing as he smiled back at her, interested to hear about his new teammates. "Jaime and Gar are a bit... comedic at times, but they are fierce heroes that will have your back. And Damian... well, it seems like you already know him?"

Jon looked down, uncomfortable. He began playing with the buttons on his shirt as he tried to figure out what to say. He obviously didn't want to talk about it. "Yeah, Dami and I have known each other for years. We used to go out on patrol a lot together, but yeah, we haven't spoken to each other in awhile." Raven wanted to push him to elaborate but she knew it wasn't the right time. She had a feeling she would find out soon enough anyways.

"Right, well let me know if you need anything. My room is on the tenth level, third door on the right." She stood up ready to leave when he stopped her.

"Wait, is it... is it true that you're the daughter of Trigon. And that he, you know, lives with you?" Jon asked, looking up at her, not knowing if he was pushing her kindness. She seemed to be a genuine person. A little creepy, sure; be he couldn't imagine she could come from someone so awful.

"It's true. Everyday I feel him in my thoughts; but I have control. I wouldn't recommend you piss me off, though." She said with a laugh and he joined in. Raven almost didn't hear the kitchen door open.

She looked over to see Damian and Dick. Damian had his arms crossed with an unreadable expression. He was staring daggers at both of them. "Oh, I'm glad you guys have gotten a chance to introduce yourselves. Jon if you're ready, I'll show you to your room," Dick said, ushering Jon out the door, who mumbled a 'see you later' to Raven before he disappeared.

Raven made eye contact with Damian. He looked even more pissed than when he first saw Jon.

" I see you're taking nicely to the new addition to the team," Damian said coldly as he remained standing across the room from Raven.

"I was just welcoming him here. You know how hard of a transition it can be," she said carefully, not really wanting to bring up how he almost killed Jaime the first day he joined the team. Damian walked towards her with his arms still crossed. He started into her amethyst eyes and Raven wanted to know so badly what he was thinking. It felt like they were silent for hours, even though it was probably only a few seconds.

"I don't remember you being that friendly to me," he replied almost in a whisper, still not breaking eye contact. Raven felt like she could crumble. He looked so intense. But she was also feeling the urge to fight back. She hadn't done anything wrong. Whatever Damian was feeling towards Jon wasn't on her.

"Careful Damian, you're starting to sound jealous." she stared back at him with shared intensity and she wondered who was going to break contact first. The tension was palpable.

"I don't get jealous, Raven," he said confidently, taking a half step forward, so close to her their chests were almost touching. "I've never had a reason to be." Raven felt her breathing getting shaky as he got closer. She realized whatever battle they were in, she was losing. She took a step back, taking a deep breath.

"Whatever, Damian. It was nothing. Want to try again for a healing session tonight?" She asked, hoping to change the conversation. He looked at her for a second before replying.

"No, I'm going out," he said, while turning to leave.

"Damian, you're still injured you can't go on patrol," she replied irritated. he turned around with a smirk on his face.

"I said I was going out. I never said I was going on patrol." And with that, Damian walked out of the room without a second glance.


End file.
